Ryan Cleek – Action Sports Photographer, Filmmaker & Storyteller
Ryan Cleek is a commercial photographer and filmmaker specializing in action sports, mountain biking, and outdoor lifestyle media production. Known for cinematic storytelling and high-impact visuals, he creates photography and films that connect brands, athletes, and products with audiences who live for the outdoors. His work spans commercial campaigns, product launches, and documentary films that have earned recognition across the action sports and film industries.
With more than two decades of experience leading global creative production and contributing to top cycling and outdoor media outlets, Ryan brings both technical expertise and a deep cultural understanding of the sports he documents. Before founding his production company, he worked as a lead creative producer for some of the biggest names in the bike and outdoor sports worlds. He cut his teeth as a staff writer, photographer, and filmmaker for international mountain bike and action sports media outlets, where he fine-tuned his craft. Ryan also delivers when it comes to long-form projects, having written, produced, directed, and edited feature-length action sports documentaries that have earned worldwide recognition.
Now, running Ryan Cleek Productions out of Reno, he focuses on creating high-quality films and photography for outdoor industry clients around the globe, blending his love for the outdoors with his expertise in top-tier media production.
Decades of Experience in Action Sports
My team and I create commercial photography and video production for outdoor and action sports brands. The work ranges from product launches and advertising campaigns to athlete-driven films, lifestyle photography and longer-form storytelling. Because we come from these sports ourselves, we understand the difference between something that simply looks good and something that actually feels credible to the people who ride, race, ski and spend time outside.
I’ve also independently created, written, produced, directed, filmed and edited multiple feature-length mountain bike documentaries that have earned recognition across both the film and mountain bike communities. That experience has shaped the way I approach commercial work. Story matters, but so does understanding the product, the athlete and the culture around the sport.
“As a team, we challenge each other to find creative ways to capture the energy of action sports while making sure the brand, product and story all feel true to the audience.”
Every project starts with understanding what the brand is trying to say and who it needs to reach. Sometimes that means fast, technical riding on a mountain bike campaign. Other times it is a controlled product shoot, a lifestyle story or a film built around an athlete. The approach changes from project to project, but the goal stays the same: create photography and films that feel natural to the sport and useful to the brand.
Based in Reno, we regularly shoot throughout the Lake Tahoe region, but we work with brands worldwide and travel wherever a project takes us.
